As you all may have heard “rumors” from social media that I am
“retiring”. I am here to set the record straight. I have decided not
put out a “press release” and instead to write a personal message
from the heart to you all. First I have to say I have been
overwhelmed by your wonderful messages on social media, I am feeling
the love, thank you all for that.

So basically, after spending 20 years as a competitive pro athlete
in the beautiful sport of Squash I have decided that this is the
perfect time for me to step down and relinquish my spot in the top
10 and retire from the PSA (Professional Squash Association)
International Squash Tour and focus on my other passion which is to
help people worldwide realize their hidden potential and find their
inner strengths.

I want to motivate you and help you realize and
achieve your potential not only on court, but most importantly in
life.

I am retiring from the PSA, “BUT” I am not retiring from Squash and
I am not hanging my rackets up just yet, on the contrary this is
just the beginning of a new exciting era where I will be serving the
game in new and innovative ways and giving you the fans new and
unprecedented free access to me in the coming months and much much
more. You will actually be seeing more of me now than you ever did!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank first and foremost
all of you fans around the world, I have been extremely humbled by
your immense support over the years. To all the amazing athletes I
have had the pleasure to compete against, thank you for the
memories.

To the squash media, thank you for your continued support
and off course last but not least to my wife and family thank you
for your unconditional love and devotion especially when it got
tough.

And to anyone and everyone who I might have missed from
coaches to feeders to training partners to anyone who has ever came
in contact with me and contributed to my long journey to the top, I
thank you for your support from the bottom of my heart.

See you all VERY soon. Keep smiling, train hard and remember it’s
all in your head. Thank you. I am out.

After leading the golden age of squash 4 time world champion Amr
Shabana has announced his retirement from the PSA World Tour.

Shabana won an amazing 33 PSA titles and was world number one for 33
months, ranking in the top ten for over ten years.

“It has been our privilege to work with the Maestro during this
last phase of his career where he has still been able to win major
titles and remain as one of the best players in the world,” said
Eye Rackets ambassador Joey Barrington.
“I would like to thank Eye Rackets for their commitment to me when
many others were disinterested,” said Shabana.

“I still felt I had much to offer in the sport and their support
gave me great encouragement and confidence which allowed me to
continue to perform at the very highest level.

“Squash is a wonderful sport and I’m now greatly looking forward to
continuing my relationship with this fast emerging company in an
ambassadorial capacity over the next few years.”

Shabana comes back from hepatitis C, injury and doubts to clinch
a superb World Series title at 34...

Malcolm Willstrop:An appreciation of Amr
Shabana

Amr Shabana' s winning the
prestigious Tournament of Champions will go unheralded in the
sporting media, but it would rank alongside any sporting
achievement.

He has looked physically sharper and fitter in recent times than
ever he has done, but he has also had the odd injury, which at 34,
can be hard to deal with.

Add the problems in Egypt, which have led to him spending time in
America and Canada and he could be forgiven for calling it a day,
having won everything there is to win.

I watched him dismantle Laurens Anjema and marvelled at it, still
doubting whether he could produce that again against the World's top
five. How wrong I was to doubt.

He beat the most durable of the World's players, Nick Matthew in a
five set epic, one of the most consistent James Willstrop 3-1 and
incredibly brushed aside the in form Gregory Gaultier 3-0.

When I first saw him at the World Junior Championships in Cairo many
moons ago he was clearly gifted, but of that crop, which included:
Lee Beachill, Anthony Ricketts and Stuart Boswell, he seemed the
least likely to endure.

Along came...Najla... and I am sure she has been his motivation,
proof that behind every successful man is a woman.

Ramy Ashour is a genius of a different kind, but Amr Shabana is a
genius with the most complete game ever seen. He happens, too, to be
a delightful man: understated, modest and honest.

I'm glad to say that I consistently advise my aspiring young players
to watch him. At 34 it is also encouraging that, body and mind
willing, it can be done. He is an inspiration to us all.